When Greg Fischer raised his right hand and said "I do" to the job of Metro mayor, he became the first visible symbol of that new beginning.

As Shakespeare wrote, "heavy is the head that wears the crown," and Fischer would immediately bear that weight. He assumed the reins of a city teetering on 500 murders since merger in 2003. Fischer vowed to turn Metro Louisville into not just a compassionate city, but the most compassionate city in the country.

Teri Tharpe's Reaction

A symbol of that potential was Teri Tharp. The day one man accused of killing her son was granted a plea deal, her anger was visible and uncontrollable. Leading up to and during a citywide compassion ceremony, her anger faded.

If you look at a map, you can barely find it, but in February, Eminence, Ky., became the target of nature's wrath.

A large storm spawned a series of tornadoes that destroyed just about everything but the city's spirit. True to form, compassion was the order of the day when tornadoes struck the equally small town of Bedford, Ind.

After the storm, a young teen described her home crashing in on her and her family as they huddled in a cellar. Outside, homes crumbled, cars tumbled, but spirits never wavered.

If April showers bring May flowers, March showers bring problems. As spring rolled in, the Ohio River rolled out of its banks and out of control. The year ended as the wettest on record.

In March, the Kentucky Wildcats clawed their way into the Final Four in the NCAA tournament. Scott Davenport led the Bellarmine Knights to the school's first NCAA Division II National Title.

When a furnace inside a five-story building at Carbide Industries reached 3,800 degrees and exploded in March, killing two people, much of the neighborhood had no idea what happened, exposing a major failure in the Rubbertown alert system. People living in the area began a successful campaign for a better system. By year's end a new system had been put into place to warn residents of dangers.

In June, WLKY spoke exclusively with Brent Burke, who was accused of killing his estranged wife, Tracy, and her former mother-in-law, Karen Comer, in Comer's Rineyville home in September 2007.

"Point blank question, I wouldn't be much of a reporter if I didn't ask. Did you do this?" asked WLKY reporter Eric King.

Complete Interview With Brent Burke

"No, I did not. I'm an innocent man.", Burke said.

After four trials, Hardin County dropped the two murder charges against him, but instead of walking free, Burke was immediately charged by the military with two counts of murder. He awaits trial again.

An EF-1 tornado hit Churchill Downs in June, a weather feat not seen in the track's 137-year history. The damage left six horse barns unusable and sent scores of horses to safety in other parts of the state.

With no injuries and a "show must go on" mentality, the track unharnessed its unbridled spirit and used thoroughbred speed to rebuild.

Tornado Hits Churchill Downs

On Sept. 8 at 9:30 p.m., embattled District One Councilwoman Judy Green, in the midst of political peril, said emphatically, "I'm not planning on resigning."

Shutdown, out of service, not functioning, not useable and flat out frustrating for just about everybody, the Sherman Minton bridge closed Sept. 9 after foundational cracks were found during an inspection.

The effects were felt immediately as all traffic was diverted over the two remaining local bridges.

"I never had so big loss. It's first time. I saw that happen on the news, but never thought it would be me," he told WLKY after his home exploded, destroying everything inside. The explosion was the result of a natural gas leak.

Raw Interview With Everton Coelho

As he and his family struggled to put their lives back together, they soon learned that was not something they'd have to do alone.